A Chance Meeting
by Babetteisawesome
Summary: Where Jacqueline (from my 'Fading Trilogy') meets Lumiere (The version from WinterStarfire's 'Claiming' series). It is set a year before "Claiming Of The Mercenary". When Jacqueline meets Lumiere by complete chance in the forest one night, it begins a budding romance between them, with a bit of drama too. ABSOLUTELY ALL credit of Lumiere goes to WinterStarfire.
1. Chapter 1

**Let me just say, once again, before we begin, that this story just came off the top of my head. That, and EVERY SINGLE BIT OF CREDIT OF THIS VERSION OF LUMIERE, goes to Winterstarfire. Please don't be mad at me if you're reading this, because, as you can see, I have acknowledged you a lot. **

**If you haven't read Claiming of The Mercenary and The Fading Trilogy, then read those first!**

**P.S: Also, Winterstarfire, I'm sorry if I didn't do Lumiere's characterisation right, but I tried my very best. Oh, and he is very awesome. **

…...

_Chapter 1_

She watched with curiosity as he dismissed the girl with a tired wave of his hand, attempting to mask his displeasure. Smelling the scent of mixed arousal (which was pure assault on the senses), she rolled her eyes "_You would think that they would have enough decency to not do that in the woods_" she thought, knowing exactly what had occurred. The Zemya, from her hiding place in a tall tree, observed the human below her with, although she would never admit it, slight admiration.

He was tall and handsome, and the vampire, although she tried, could not tare her eyes away from his hard, bare chest. She found her gaze moving downwards, to his hard, smooth abs, his thin waist….and then she stopped herself, shaking her head "_No, he is a human. They are worth nothing but food_" she thought. Jacqueline was, quite frankly, disgusted at herself "_He is just a weak human, what am I even doing admiring him_?" she wondered. No longer being able to control her blood lust, the vampire lunged at him, fangs bared.

However, his reacted was far from anything she expected. Faster than she ever thought was possible for a human, he had her pinned to the ground, a hand around her throat "Not a good idea, vampire" he sneered.

She narrowed her eyes at him, unafraid, and bared her fangs "Why the hell not!? What are _you_ doing to do?" she questioned mockingly. Her vision had tunnelled to blood. Pumping through him. So. Close.

His grip tightened around her throat, and then, after getting no reaction out of her, quickly formed another idea. Faster then she could blink, he had his dagger pressed against her inner thigh "Well…you certainly are beautiful. Maybe if you were raped, it would get my point across" he snarled threateningly.

She snorted "You would not do that" she challenged, barely stopping her voice from quivering. She tried to ignore the feel of the blade pressed against her skin. Although it did not feel cold, the danger that it posed caused it to be given her attention.

Lumiere chuckled darkly "Do you really want to find out?" he inquired in mock curiosity. He had noticed the slight quivering of her voice, and smiled somewhat sadistically "_So, this vampire does not fear death, but rape…interesting_" he thought. Feeling confident that she would not try anything, he studied her appearance, and quickly realised that he had been right…she was beautiful. Her long red hair was dishevelled, her skin was pale, like most vampires, but she was physically softer than the ones he had encountered.

The most amazing thing, he thought, were her eyes. He was used to seeing vampires with eyes that shone a brilliant crimson, but hers were an enchanting dark blue, which held a different kind of darkness to them than simply the colour. However, Lumiere also noted the blood lust that they reflected "When did you last eat, vampire?" he questioned sharply.

"Why should I tell you, human?" Jacqueline retorted. She had gone several weeks without, because the villagers were beginning to get suspicious of the disappearing drunks…but she wasn't about to tell the human that.

Lumiere stood "Very well. Move along, and do not try to attack me again" he said. She noticed that, when he stood or walked, he favoured his right leg…which meant he had a limp.

All of a sudden, a snarl of rage erupted from Jacqueline, and she stood up. She whirled around behind her, and her eyes narrowed "Demons. I hate those things" she sneered in anger.

The man beside her clenched his grip on his dagger, but before he could make an attack, Jacqueline lunged into the darkness. Several demonic screams were heard, as well as the sound of necks breaking and bodies slumping to the ground.

Several seconds later, Jacqueline emerged, covered in demon blood. She licked her fingers, and then ran her blood covered hands through her hair, further reddening it. The Zemya snarled happily in satisfaction "They did not stand a chance" she said.

Lumiere, meanwhile, simply stared in shock and, although he would not admit it…slight respect. He chuckled "Well, it seems like you know how to handle that sort of thing" he said.

She glanced at his dagger, and then back to him "As do you, I imagine" she responded.

He gave her a brief once over, before saying "You should change…."

"Into what, exactly!?" she demanded, interrupting.

He chuckled once again "Nothing?" he offered with a mischievous smirk. Despite himself, he had been having several visions of this woman, no, vampire, in his bed, naked, begging for him…

Jacqueline, knowing exactly what he was thinking, bared her fangs "Do not get your hopes up" she hissed venomously. Then, a thought occurred to her "_Why I am talking to him? I should be feeding off of him!_"

Lumiere, sensing the tension of the situation, turned to her sharply "I know what you want, vampire, and you will not feed from me" he said firmly.

She growled "How do you always know what I want!" she demanded.

He replied "I…have had a lot of experience with your kind." He bent over, and reached into a bag, pulling pants and a shirt for Jacqueline. He tossed them to her "Here. Put this on" he said curtly.

As she did, Lumiere turned his back politely, although he, at first, thought it would be unwise to do so. He heard Jacqueline ask, in obvious annoyance "Are _you_ going to put something on?"

He grinned "What? Don't you like the view? Most women do" he answered.

She snorted "No, I do not" she answered, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks. She _had_ actually enjoyed the sight of him…all of him.

The Zemya's thoughts were interrupted as he asked "What's your name?"

She hesitated for a moment "_I should not even be speaking to a human. I should certainly not tell him my name_" she thought. However, for a reason that was unknown to even herself, she replied "Jacqueline. Et vous?"

"Lumiere" he replied. Then, he turned around, expecting her to be done, but instead, was met with a surprising, but still pleasing, sight. Her top half was bare, and, although she was facing with her back to him, he could only image was the front of her would be like. Then, he saw something rather confusing…three tattoos on her back. He inquired "How did you get those?"

She covered her breasts and braved turning at least sideways, so she could face him more directly. She glared "I do not want to speak about it" she answered.

After she was dressed, Jacqueline turned to him "Monsieur, may I ask you something?" she questioned.

Lumiere turned to her "That depends" he replied matter-of-factly.

"Could…could I stay with you for the rest of the night? My castle is far from here, and the humans might be looking for me" she replied. She was not used to staying with a human, or even having much to do with humans, but this one seemed trustworthy.

He hesitated in his answer, suspicious of the vampire woman. She had made it very clear earlier of how much blood lust was inside her, and she might still have been thirsty. He replied after a moment longer "Only if you stay as far away from me as possible."

"Agreed" she answered without uncertainty. She waited as he dressed into pants and a shirt (which she was grateful of him doing), and then moved away to lie down.

He tossed her a spare blanket from his bag "Here" he said. Lumiere did not know what on earth was wrong with him. He would usually want nothing to do with vampires! But this one…Jacqueline…was different. There was good in her. It was buried by probably centuries of evil, but it was there.

He lied down on the cool grass, pulling another thick blanket over him. It had been a tiring day, and he needed his sleep.

All of a sudden, he felt a cool body press against his. Instantly alarmed, he pinned whoever it was, down on the ground, and pressed his dagger to their throat. However, he quickly realised that the 'stranger', was actually Jacqueline. She laughed, however it held only slight traces of humour "It is a wonder that a woman can even get close to you, let alone screw you" she joked.

Lumiere raised a brow "You were watching before?" he questioned. She gave no answer, but instead bit her lip. He chuckled, knowing he was right "Well…" he grinned charmingly "Enjoy the show, sweetheart?" he asked.

She did not reply to his comment, but instead changed the topic "I…I got slightly lonely. I am used to my castle, you see. May…may I sleep with you?" she asked awkwardly.

He considered it for a moment "Are you full?" he questioned firmly.

"Oui. The demons filled me" she answered.

He sighed, and the smallest of smiles twitched as his lips "Well, then I guess that you may sleep with me" he replied. He was not used to showing such affection towards a vampire. Was…was it possible that he _liked_ her?

Jacqueline nodded, and then what she had agreed to, dawned on her. The Zemya mentally scolded herself "_What are you doing! He is a human!_" But, she refused to listen to herself. All of a sudden, a possibility for her behaviour came to her, but she quickly dismissed it as impossible. She could not possibly _like _him…could she?

Lumiere slept on his side, with Jacqueline sleeping facing his back. As they slept, each dreamed of each other. Lumiere's eyes snapped open, however, when he felt her arms snake around his waist, and steal the dagger from next to his hand, and put it further away. But, he relaxed, knowing full well that she did not have any bad motives. Jacqueline whispered close to his ear, half asleep herself

"You need to stop keeping that so close to you. You could cut yourself."

...

**I know it is not a very good chapter ending, but it was all I could think of. Please wait for the next chapter! Remember to review!**

**See you really soon, **

**Babetteisawesome**


	2. Chapter 2

**Like I said, I thank WinterStarfire for creating Lumiere, the utter badass sort-of-mercenary! **

….

_Chapter 2_

Jacqueline was up early the next morning, before the sun. She sighed, and ran a hand through her long red hair "Did I_ really_ spend the night with a human?! Mon Dieu, what is wrong with me?" she wondered.

The Zemya gazed at the human beside her. Once again, she was reminded of his good looks, and growled "Why must such a pest look so good?!" she muttered. All of a sudden, her throat tightened, and her fangs throbbed "_He is asleep. He will not notice me_" she thought. The blood lust raged inside her, and she refused to keep it at bay, with a human so close to her. Jacqueline smiled sadistically as she breathed in the scent…so delicious. In half a second, she wrapped a hand in his hair, ready to pull his neck back.

No sooner had her skin touched his hair, however, that Lumiere's eyes shot open. He turned to her swiftly, and punched her in the nose, effectively throwing her off of him. The man stood, snatching his dagger from its place on the ground, and turned to the vampire, who was standing not too far away from him.

She snarled at him at snapped her fangs, which did nothing to faze him. He was used to that behaviour. However, what did startle him was the fact that her irises glowed golden. Her lips were curled into a snarl, and an animalistic growl from deep within her chest, sounded. Jacqueline took a step forward "You fool! You have just sealed your own fate!" she spat.

She lunged for him, but just as she reached him, the Zemya was stunned to find that the front of her was being crushed against a tree, while her failing arms were forced behind her back. Lumiere's dagger was being held against her throat, and he whispered harshly, close to her ear "You were saying?"

"You would not kill me" she replied confidently. A human could not kill her, it was impossible.

He chuckled darkly, and his voice because low and dangerous "Clearly, you do not know me that well" he answered. But then, he remembered that the threat of death did not work on that vampire…but he knew what did. He moved his dagger to rest on her inner thigh, and tapped the side of it against her skin "Death does not seem to faze you…" he bit down on her earlobe "So, how about I rape you, hmm?" he threatened.

Jacqueline, as much as she tried to contain it, squirmed and shuddered. That was what she feared, and he knew it. What she could not believe…was that he had the nerve to actually _threaten_ her! _Her_!

Lumiere, having gotten the reaction that he wanted, slowly removed the dagger from near her throat, let go of her arms, and stepped back from the tree. She turned to face him and laughed, although it contained no humour "Did you really just threaten me?!" she asked in disbelief.

Lumiere replied simply "Oui.

She smiled menacingly, and laughed lowly "That was not a good idea" she said.

He raised an eyebrow "Really? Why not?" he asked, silently daring her to answer.

"Because I can do this" snarled Jacqueline, lunging forward again at her vampire speed. This time, however, she tried a different tactic. Instead of going directly for him, she changed directions, going to the right in an attempt to confuse him, before she collided with him, scratching his side with all the force she had.

The man stumbled backwards in surprise as the Zemya's nails tore through his shirt and scratched his skin so much that it slightly drew blood. She had been too fast for him. He whirled around, and faced Jacqueline, who looked as though she was going to pounce again, but this time she had a look of pure lust in her eyes…blood lust. She could smell the blood that had surfaced, and resisted the urge to drool. Instead, she hissed, baring her fangs, before running towards him, using her super-speed.

Lumiere, however, acted quickly and struck out with his dagger. When she was just millimetres away, he sliced a cut in her arm, making her snarl in pain and move backwards. Taking the opportunity, he pinned her to the ground, one hand wrapped around her throat, and the other holding her hands above her head. His dark brown eyes narrowed at her "Are we going to have any more problems, Jacqueline?" he snarled.

He saw her eyeing the dagger that was on the ground, just out of her reach. He shook his head "Do not even think about it" he growled.

She rolled her eyes and let out a heavy, deliberate sigh "Mon Dieu, why are you so tense?" she teased. However, that only caused her to receive a tightened grip on her hands, followed by an even colder glare. He glanced at the gash on her arm, grinned sadistically, and causally fiddled with the blade that was nearby "Not going to scream?" he asked in mock disappointment.

Jacqueline growled "I would never" she answered. She took that moment to study him. His dirty blonde hair fell slightly in front of his face, and his soft looking lips were pressed in a tight line. He did not seem flushed in the slightest. She inhaled his scent, and was instantly taken aback by the sweet smell…cherry cigars.

Lumiere released her arms and throat, standing up and quickly grabbing his dagger. Putting it into the pocket of his trousers, he said "Go home Jacqueline. You should return to your castle."

She stood "I need you to tell me something" she said firmly. By the tone of her voice and her facial expression, it was obvious that there was implied '_or else_'.

"What?" he growled in irritation.

Jacqueline took a step forward and questioned "How old are you?"

"Very, very old" he answered simply, not wanting to give his actual age.

The Zemya growled "How. Old. Are. You?" she repeated with much less patience.

Lumiere turned to her swiftly "If I don't want to tell you, I won't" he replied, his anger mounting.

She clenched her fists "_Stupid stubborn human!_" she thought.

All of a sudden, an unfamiliar voice came from behind her "Mistress! Mistress! There you are!" he said, running towards her.

Jacqueline groaned and rolled her eyes. She turned to him sharply "What!?" she snapped, irises glowing golden.

He replied, now much more nervous "We…we've been looking for you, and we wondered where you were."

Lumiere chuckled, clearly amused "I have never seen a vampire with servants before. Are you sure you're as tough as you seem, sweetheart?" he asked teasingly.

In less than half a second, the Zemya had Lumiere up against a tree, holding him by the collar of his shirt "How dare you!" she hissed.

He smirked, unfearful "You have quite a temper, Jacqueline" he said.

She slapped him, tracing him in the process and effectively drawing more blood. However, he did not even wince "You also have quite the habit of inflicting injury. I admire that" he continued.

She growled in rage at his dismissive manner, and quickly released his shirt, and walked towards her servant. The vampire said, without looking back at Lumiere "We are going home."

As soon as she was in her castle, Jacqueline's thoughts drifted to her sister. She smiled sinisterly "_I will see Babette soon enough, and then I will have my revenge_" she thought. The Zemya laughed evilly, the sharp tips of her fangs glinting in the candlelight as she did so.

All of a sudden, the door burst open, and the vampire stiffened. She recognised the scent "_Demons_" she thought, turning quickly to face what was probably more than two dozen demons.

Not giving the monsters a chance to attack, she raced towards them at her vampire speed, literally ripping through half of them. She turned towards the few that remained, and tried to ignore the smell of the demon blood that pooled at her feet.

Meanwhile, Lumiere was practicing his combat techniques, back in the forest. All of a sudden, he heard the familiar footsteps behind him, and whirled around. Faster than it takes a person to blink, he was ready to kill the now helpless demon.

However, the demon spoke before he could "We have the vampire woman" he said tauntingly, smirking.

Lumiere, if he was shocked, did not let it show. Instead, he drive his blade into the demons neck, killing it instantly. Removing his blade, the man wiped the blood from it, stood, and walked off to find the vampire.

Jacqueline, who only had two demons remaining, smirked viciously, and extended her hand to one of them. She used her air powers, slowly and painfully chocking the demon before he could even take another step. His limp body soon collapsed to the ground.

She whirled around to face the last one, and her body tensed, prepared to pounce. All of a sudden, a blade shot into his throat from behind, causing him to fall to the ground limply. Lumiere, after freeing his dagger from the demon's neck, wiped the blood once again, before looking at Jacqueline. He raised an eye brow, surveying the scene before him "Nice job" he said.

She crossed her arms "I did not need your help" she replied. The Zemya then asked the question that she had wanted to ask ever since their first meeting "How do you know how to do that?" she questioned.

He narrowed his eyes, and gave no reply. Instead, he turned, and started to walk out of the room "Jacqueline, I think we need to stay together for a while. It will not be safe for you with all these demons…" he added, looking over her shoulder "No more questions."


	3. Chapter 3

**I got absolutely no reviews! Please please PLEASE review people! I love reviews! **

**Okay, rant over. Now, on with the story. **

**Oh, and one more thing…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Beauty and the Beast or any of its characters (although I would like to). **

…...

_Chapter 3_

As he descended the staircase, and walked into the main room, Jacqueline called after him, infuriated, "What!? What do you mean!? I _do not _need your protection!"

Lumiere chuckled, and continued walking. Not making eye contact, he answered, "Believe me, you need to be protected. You can be defeated by me so easily, and I am just a human mercenary. You would never stand a chance against as many demons as I know group together."

She growled, enraged. "How_ dare_ you! I. Am. A. Vampire!" she hissed.

"_An annoying vampire_" thought Lumiere, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. She clearly had an air of superiority, he had noticed it from the first moment they met. He found that trait _extremely_ annoying. He turned to her, stopping in the middle of the room, "Oh, forgive me" he drawled, having no patience for her.

The Zemya stiffened in anger, "_What_ did you just say?" she spat.

Her companion raised an eyebrow, "You _were_ listening, then" he answered, silently daring her to attack. She growled at him threateningly, but did not move from where she was. She watched as Lumiere gave a swift, indifferent look around the room "_I know she's a vampire, but I can't believe she lives in this miserable place"_ he thought.

Jacqueline snarled at him, having a good idea what he thought of her castle. It was terribly uninviting, but, for her, it was perfect. Humans, that was _most_ humans, did not even think about stepping one foot inside of it because of its appearance. Therefore, she was well concealed.

Lumiere spoke, bringing her from her thoughts, "We'll have to go to the village to get some things" he said.

"Why!?" snapped the Zemya.

The mercenary replied, gritting his teeth to keep himself from ripping out her throat in annoyance, "Be_cause_,_ I_ cannot live on blood."

Jacqueline responded indifferently, "Go by yourself. I do not want to go out."

The tavern was busy that morning, filled with men and women, all either drinking or having drunken conversations. The bartender watched the goings on with a board indifference as he cleaned the counter table. All of a sudden, someone dropped a few franks on the bench. Collecting them greedily, he looked up at the man, "Yes?" he asked.

Lumiere answered directly, "A glass of ale, a small one though." He had gotten the supplies that he needed for his stay with Jacqueline at the village quickly, since he could go for a while without food, and was now simply enjoying himself.

As the bartender poured him a glass, the mercenary glanced around him. Noticing something, he leaned closer to the bartender and asked, "So, what's the deal with those whores over there?"

The other man raised an eyebrow, "You'll have to be more specific" he said.

Lumiere jerked his head towards the three flirting triplets, "Those blonde ones."

The bartender sighed, "They used to adore this one guy, Gaston, and…"

Lumiere clutched the bench, "Gaston?" he repeated, unable to hide the anger in his voice.

Oblivious to the taller man's anger, the man opposite him nodded, "Yeah. He and I used to be pretty good friends" he answered.

_That _got the mercenary's attention. In the blink of an eye, he had the bartender pulled off the ground by the collar of his shirt, Lumiere's dagger held underneath his jaw threateningly, "Where is he?" he growled.

"I…I don't know. He d-disappeared a while ago" stammered the bartender nervously.

The taller man sighed, "Very well" he answered, and released him. Then, he moved over to the triplets, thinking that he could get some information from _them_.

The one in the golden dress, when she noticed him, lowered her eyes seductively, "Oh, hello sir" she purred.

The other two, when they saw him, grinned, and the one in the red dress bit her lip, "What can we do for you?" she inquired in a sultry tone.

He replied, unfazed by her obvious intentions, "I need some information on Gaston."

The girl in the green dress moved forward, deliberately bending over the table to him, therefore showing a clear view of her cleavage, "Absolutely. We'll do…anything" she purred, licking her lips.

Lumiere, although he was _very_ tempted to take the young women up on their offer, restrained himself from doing so. He cleared his throat, "I know he disappeared a while ago. Where is he now?" he asked abruptly, growing impatient.

The girls replied in unison "We don't know, sir."

He groaned "Excellent" he muttered sarcastically. He forced a charming grin at the blondes "Thanks anyway" he replied.

As he excited the tavern, Lumiere heard the girls arguing about the fact that, apparently, one of them had 'scared him away'.

The mercenary pressed a hand to his forehead. He had no information on Gaston's whereabouts, he had to stay in the same castle as a temperamental, arrogant vampire, and he had a wound in his leg that was only starting to heal. He muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm "Well, this is going perfectly."

All of a sudden, male voice with a smooth, charming, sexy French accent came from behind him "Here I thought you'd gone soft."

Lumiere relaxed after a short moment of tension, recognizing the voice. He turned around, and grinned slightly "Lawrence, it's been a while" he answered.

…...

**I wonder who this guy is? **

**PLEASE REVIEW EVERYONE! I have been dearly missing my reviews! **

**Sorry for ranting again, but I'm really hyper. **

**See you later,**

**- Babetteisawesome. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Once again, I got no reviews! PLEASE REVIEW EVERYONE! PLEASE! **

**P.S: In "Claiming of the Mercenary", I am a huge Lumiere/Alexandria supporter. However, for the purpose of this story, I have paired Lumiere and Jacqueline together. **

…

_Chapter 4_

The man behind him was leant against the tavern wall, arms crossed. He was dressed completely in black, with strands of his shoulder length dark brown hair, falling in front of his eyes. He appeared to be in his late twenties, but Lumiere knew that he was in fact centuries old. Overall, his build was like that of his own, tall and pale skinned, but not terribly broad at all.

Lawrence smirked, brushing a strand of hair from his piercing dark blue eyes, "Well, I would have contacted you sooner…" his smirk lessened to a look of seriousness "I've been hunting this bastard, Gaston. It's almost like he's disappeared."

His friend raised an eyebrow, "You're after him too?" he asked.

He nodded, "He raped my little sister" he answered, clenching his strong jaw, anger flashing in his eyes.

Lumiere smirked cunningly, "Well, then I pity the brute" he responded. Lawrence, although he did not seem like it, was a very powerful mercenary, and he had known him for centuries.

"What about you…?" Lawrence uncrossed his arms and grinned teasingly, "I half expected you to be screwing some whore. How about those three I saw you talking to in the tavern?" he questioned.

His friend waved a hand dismissively, "Too cheap for my taste. Besides, I've got bigger problems" he said, face serious.

"What?" inquired Lawrence, no longer grinning.

Lumiere replied, "Same reason that you're here. To get that weasel."

Knowing better then to ask why, Lawrence asked, "Did the bartender know anything after you scared the living daylights out of him?"

"Nothing" he responded. Then, he crossed his arms, "I'm surprised you found me" he said.

Lawrence answered, "It was easy. I just got to your castle, and terrified that English butler until he told me where you were…" he smirked and added, "I'm pretty sure he wet himself."

Lumiere chuckled, knowing who he was talking about, "Cogsworth was always easy to intimidate. Why did you go to all this trouble to find me, anyway?" he asked.

"Last I heard, you'd shot an arrow into Gaston's arm, burnt down his lover's house, taken him to the prince, and then tortured the brute at the castle. I had to come and see the hero for myself" replied Lawrence with a smirk of appreciation.

The older mercenary brushed his dirty blonde hair off his face, "He deserved every bit of it" he said snappily.

His friend rose an eyebrow, "So, I heard you're staying with a vampire. Must be hard for you, Lumi" he said, using the other man's old nickname.

Before he could blink, Lumiere had him up against the tavern wall, a hand around his throat, and his dagger pressed under his jaw, "Say that name again, boy" he dared in a low growl.

Lawrence spat back angrily, "I'm over _two centuries_ old." Then, he did the exact same thing that Lumiere had done to him, to the other man.

He chuckled and, raising an eyebrow, replied, "You also have_ quite_ a temper."

All of a sudden, Jacqueline's voice came from behind Lawrence, "Who are you?" she snarled.

He whirled around, and saw her standing before him, dressed in a peasants' gown, holding a parasol over her head. She took a slow, threatening step forward, "I asked you a question, human, and I expect an answer" she said with obvious irritation.

Lawrence released Lumiere, and stepped closer to the vampire "Why should I tell_ you_, bloodsucker?" he hissed. He had never liked vampires in the slightest, and this one was no different. Arrogant. Impatient. Easily violent. They were all the same.

Jacqueline growled low, and, faster than the mercenary was ready for, slapped him so hard that he stumbled back into the wall. She snorted, "_That was just too easy_" she thought.

Lumiere got in front of her, and clutched her by the shoulders, his brown eyes staring straight into her own, "Calm yourself, Jacqueline" he said, although it sounded more like a command.

However, she did not pay attention. Instead, the Zemya growled at him, and struggled in his tight grasp, "Why should I listen to _you_?" she spat.

Lumiere sighed heavily, although it was more of a growl. He had had enough of her annoying behaviour. Quickly, the mercenary had her pressed up against him so hard that there was no possible movement for her, her arms locked behind her back by one of his hands, and the other hand was firmly around her throat. He snarled venomously, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right here."

She smirked, despite the situation, "Do it, then" she challenged. As soon as his grip tightened on her throat, Jacqueline punched him in the stomach as hard as possible, causing him to release her out of shock and pain.

He hissed and, glaring at her, warned through clenched teeth, "You shouldn't have done that."

She put her hands on her hips, "Why not!?" she dared.

Oh, that did it.

In seconds, Lumiere had her pressed against the tavern wall, her arms pinned above her head, and his eyes burning furiously into her own. He snarled, their faces centimetres apart, the look on his face murderous, "You little brat! I've had enough of you! Let the demons kill you for all I care!"

Jacqueline growled, "They _will not_ kill me! You just do not seem to realise that not everyone needs a man to hide behind!" she snapped.

He shook his head, sighed lowly, and released her, "You're too headstrong to realise how much danger you're in" he said.

Later that night, Jacqueline landed soundlessly outside Prince Adam's castle, her black cloak falling behind her like a cape. She stood, and glanced back at the castle "_That scared dear Babette, excellent_" she thought.

All of a sudden, an animalistic snarl came from behind her. The Zemya whirled around, fangs bared, and scanned the landscape to find her enemy. A large demon lunged out of the shadows, grabbing her tightly and growling at her.

She stared into his golden eyes, and felt fear creep through her. Jacqueline clawed and kicked at him, but then another demon, bigger than the first, grabbed her from behind as well.

That was the last thing she remembered, before she passed out.


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright guys, I got no reviews again. I'm going to say this one more time…_please review_. I'm really sorry if I seem a bit rude, but I'm really tired at the moment.**

**NOTE: I have made Jacqueline a bit less evil in this part of the story, even though its set when she's supposed to be really evil. Don't ask me why, because I don't know. I just did it. **

…...

_Chapter 5_

Lumiere slept peacefully meanwhile, on the cool grass in the forest, until a hand suddenly touched his shoulder. He awoke instantly, and tensed, only to hear Lawrence's voice, "Lumiere, it's me, something's happened" he whispered.

The blonde looked at him, already perfectly alert, "What?" he asked, unable to disguise his annoyance.

"It's Jacqueline. She's been taken by the demons" continued Lawrence.

The mercenary raised an eyebrow "That's my problem _how_?" he asked. He knew that the demons would take her, and he even tried to warn her, but she was too stubborn and conceited to listen. It was her own fault. Why should he care?

His friend threw his hands up "Fine, I won't argue with you" he said.

Lumiere smirked "Why? Because you'll know I'll beat you to a pulp if you do?" he asked teasingly. But, his look lessened to one of seriousness shortly after "_Jacqueline is in danger_" he thought. The man shook his head "No, I won't help her. She deserves it" he muttered.

Lawrence ran a hand through his hair "You know, I know how to break your curse. You just have to do one thing for me" he began.

That got his friend's attention immediately "What do you want?" he asked.

"Simple. Help Jacqueline" he answered.

The mercenary stood and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, lifting him clear off the ground. Staring straight into his eyes, he hissed, "If you're lying, I'll kill you."

Knowing better then to think he was joking, Lawrence replied "I'll take my chances."

Not releasing him, the older man questioned "Why do you want me to help her?"

"I have my reasons", answered his friend mysteriously.

Lumiere dropped him "Oh screw it…" he sighed "Where is she?" he asked. He would help the vampire, but only to break the curse.

Meanwhile, Jacqueline awoke slowly, groaning as the pain in her head throbbed. Her senses were immediately alert, except for one…her eyesight. The Zemya growled at the scratching irritation of the blindfold over her eyes "Excellent" she muttered sarcastically. From what she could tell, she was lying on what felt like a wooden floor, and it was moving. Also, she could hear heavily pouring rain outside. She sniffed, and, recognising a familiar smell, stiffened "_Blood. _My _Blood_" she thought.

The Zemya felt the iron chains around her wrists, and knew (because her arms were spread slightly), that the chains were connected to the wall at the corners of the wall that she was against, and they held her like a dog. She hissed, and stood, lunging forward in an attempt to break the chains. However, sharply, she was tugged backwards, causing her to collapse back onto the ground.

Someone laughed, and it was a low, menacing sound "Don't even try" he said.

Recalling the creature's scent, Jacqueline demanded in fury "Why I am I here, demon?"

"Simple. You've been stealing our victims for a while now, and we want to stop it" he answered.

The remaining words were unnecessary for the Zemya. She knew what they were going to do…they were going to kill her. She smirked "_Or rather, they will try_" she mused. Once she felt the demon's presence vanish, Jacqueline reached her hand up to the back of her head, undoing the blindfold with ease. As the black cloth fell to the floor, the vampire observed her surroundings somewhat calmly, taking in every detail. She was in a very large carriage, with plain, wooden walls, and very few windows, and a high ceiling.

The Zemya smirked and, not being able to resist, called to the two demons at the very front of the carriage "You are wasting your time with the windows. I am not a Maya, so I do not need sunlight."

One of the demons replied, not making eye contact "We know. But there's no way that you'll get in from, our out of, those windows. So, there's no escape for you either."

"Really? Then how did _I_ get in here?" came a familiar voice from behind them, sounding slightly amused. Lumiere stood just behind the demons, leaning against one of the walls, his expression and posture almost casual. He was dressed completely in black, so he was able to blend in slightly with the darkness.

The demons hissed, and stopped the carriage. They both stood, and attacked him with full force and fury. However, the mercenary simply smirked, and, faster than they were ready for, produced the sword he had managed to conceal, and sliced off their heads in one fast movement.

He turned swiftly to Jacqueline, who was struggling in her chains. Her long red hair was mattered, and several locks hung over her eyes. She glared up at him, her irises shinning golden in the darkness, and hissed, "I could have taken care of them myself!"

As he released her from her chains, Lumiere rolled his eyes and drawled, "You're welcome."

Once they had escaped the carriage, Jacqueline began walking off on her own. The mercenary caught up, and grabbed her firmly, "Where do you think you're going!?" he demanded.

She stopped in her tracks and turned to him sharply, "I am going back to my castle" she snapped matter-of-factly.

He hissed in reply, "No. Not alone. Do you have any idea what those demons could have done to you!? You're coming with me."

The Zemya put her hands on her hips "If I did not?" she dared.

Lumiere growled lowly, gripped her forcefully by the arm, and pulled her into a clearing, which was shielded from the rain by trees. He threw her in front of him, and snarled "You're staying with me until the demons leave. Then, we go our separate ways."

Jacqueline took a threatening step forward "What makes you think you can tell me what to do!" she sneered. She had just about had enough with the human.

Seeming to sense an oncoming attack, her companion warned "Don't. Not unless you want me to add to your injuries."

Being reminded of her injuires, made her look at her arm, which had a medium sized cut it in. Small drips of blood trailed down from the cut, and, by the smell, it was clear that the cut was made by demon claws.

Lumiere, while assessing her body for any other damage, found himself thinking of…other things. He could not help but notice how her soaked dress clung to her figure, showing her graceful body, which had curves in, as far as he was concerned, all the right places. She was not too thin, but not too bulky either, just the type of body he liked.

All of a sudden, the sound of her voice broke his trance "Are you really going to make your intentions _that_ obvious?" she questioned heatedly. She smirked menacingly "You should watch who you admire, monsieur, for it might just be your downfall" she said, although she was practically purring. She had been admiring him as well. His strength, his piercing brown eyes that seemed to see right into her soul, his _amazing_ physique, and the way he would sometimes brush the locks of dirty blonde hair from his face.

Lumiere sucked in a breath "_Don't do it_" said a voice in a mind. But, another soon fought back with "_Come on, you know you want to_."

Jacqueline, realising that he was considering something, spoke,"Do not come any closer" she said. Then, to her astonishment, the vampire realised that she had _purred_ it…_very _provocatively. She growled "_Stupid attractive human_" she thought.

Lumiere, despite her command, was only drawn closer by the sound of her voice. In fact, he practically melted when hearing it. Stepping forward, he decided that he would do what he wanted to at that point, weather it ended up being a good idea or not.

Jacqueline hissed as he stepped closer, "I thought I told you…" she started. However, she was unable to finish her sentence, before her companion did something incredibly unexpected.

The mercenary wrapped a hand in her already tangled hair, pulled her closer, and pressed a hot, rough kiss to her lips.

…...

**Oohhh! **

**Like I said everyone….review, I'm begging you! PLEASE! **

**Okay, rant over. **

**See you soon everyone, **

**- Babetteisawesome. **


	6. Chapter 6

**OH MY GOD I GOT A REVIEW! Thanks so much to ConformityisNonsense, for the lovely review!**

**_IMPORTANT NOTE_****: I fully support Lumiere/Babette, more than any other paring. That is why it's so hard for me to write this story. But, I just have to remind myself that this version of Lumiere is completely different from the one I'm used to. So, I just think of it as an Alternate Universe sort of thing (it's also how I can see Lumiere and Alexandria together in "Claiming of the Mercenary. That, and Alexandria looks a lot like Babette). **

…

_Chapter 6 _

Jacqueline, realising what was happening, pushed him away with all her strength. She clenched her fists and roared, clearly furious, "What do you think you were doing!?" Lumiere did not have time to react, before she grabbed him around his throat, their faces millimetres apart. She smirked sadistically "You idiot. You have really sealed your fate, monsieur" she snarled.

He raised an eyebrow, and replied nonchalantly, "I believe you said that to me once before, and that didn't work out too well for you."

She growled as she released him "_He is right_" she thought. She said after a short moment of silence "We will go our separate ways as soon as the rain stops."

Her companion nodded in agreement, and then a thought struck him, "Are you afraid of storms, Jacqueline?" he questioned.

She turned to him sharply, clearly caught off guard "What?! No" she lied.

Lumiere sighed "_I know she's lying. But, I think I should just let that one go, she's already ready to rip out my throat_" he thought, favouring self preservation over curiosity.

There was a long, awkward silence between them, and the only sound to be heard was the pouring rain above them. Jacqueline looked at him "Where are you going to go after this?" she snapped.

"I'm going to keep hunting down this bastard" answered Lumiere.

"Gaston" finished the Zemya. She had overheard the conversation between Lawrence and Lumiere at the tavern, when she had gone there. All of a sudden, that thought caused her to ask, "Where is monsieur Lawrence?"

The mercenary replied, "Last I saw him, he had moved along from here. He said he was going to go home, and keep looking for Gaston some other time."

After yet another long period of silence, the vampire asked her companion, although it sounded more like a demand, "Why did you save me?"

He responded, "Because Lawrence said that if I did, he would tell me how to break my curse."

"Curse?" Jacqueline repeated curiously.

Lumiere nodded, and ran a hand through his hair "I was cursed by a witch to have eternal life" he replied curtly, not giving her to full information.

The vampire woman said, providing as little detail as possible, "I know how to help you break you curse. Find Nicolas, the vampire lord. He will help you."

"Why are you helping me? Where you cursed as well?" inquired Lumiere.

Jacqueline sat gracefully on the fallen down trunk of a tree, "Well, I was not so much cursed, as I was reborn. You see, I used to be this creature, a Maya, which are the good vampires…but their lives are also very boring. We were not as feared by humans as we should have been. I became this, a Zemya, by my own choice. We are the ones that humans fear the most. We feed off of them, and we are believed…" she laughed, although it contained no humour "We are believed to be evil, by everyone. The Zemya get respect from the humans in the form of fear, and, even though the Maya despise us, even some of _them_ are afraid of us. I chose to become this when I was young, so that I would hold a beautiful form forever" she explained.

Lumiere saw the dark, malevolent look in her eyes, and finally saw what he had been missing. She was not a creature capable of love. She was evil. She was just like every vampire he had ever met. He glared at her, "I see" he answered, taking a few steps backwards.

His companion raised an eyebrow at his movements, "Are you afraid of me? If you are, then you are smart" she growled.

The mercenary nodded, knowing that her words were true. He was smart to abandon his affection for her. But, part of his brain still fought against him "_She has good in her, you saw it_" he thought. Then, the other, more practical, self preserving part of him argued with "_No, she doesn't. She just admitted it to you. She's evil. Get away from her_."

The Zemya stood, breaking his train of thought "Well, are you going to run, human? Just like everyone else?" she snapped.

"Yes. I'll get as far away from you as I can. You should be happy about that" he replied heatedly, not taking his eyes from hers.

The vampire woman snarled in reply, "Good. I was going to kill you while you slept, anyway." Or rather, she would try. She knew how powerful the mercenary was, and how he responded to even the lightest touch.

Lumiere tensed at the threat "_There's my proof. She's evil, and all she wants is my blood_" he thought. He turned his back to her and walked away from her immediately, not looking back. Refusing to make eye contact, he said coldly "Enjoy yourself out here. I hear you enjoy being alone."

He did not need to say goodbye, because the tone of his voice was final. He would not go back to her. He would go and stay with Lawrence, and keep looking for Gaston.

The mercenary would not let his affection for the vampire interfere with his duty.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry this really late guys, but I haven't had the inspiration lately. That, and school work has been hell, so I haven't had a chance to write. **

**But, I will be writing/uploading as many chapters as possible today to make up for it!**

**P.S: WinterStarfire, if you're reading this, _please review_ to tell me what you think of how I've done your Lumiere. Oh, and PLEASE UPDATE "CLAIMING OF THE MERCENARY", I CAN'T WAIT! **

**Sorry for freaking out just then, but I really love that story. Well, the entire series, actually. **

…

_Chapter 7_

Lumiere, blowing a puff of smoke from a cherry cigar, gazed out of the window of the tavern, thinking. It had been six months since he had seen Jacqueline, and he could not help but wonder about her. The mercenary narrowed his eyes, "_She is probably happily feeding off innocent humans, and has forgotten all about me_" he thought.

All of a sudden, a graceful woman's voice came from behind him, "Excuse me sir, are you alright?" she asked. The voice belonged to a whore that Lumiere had bedded the night before, who would not leave his side… much to his extreme annoyance.

He turned, gritted his teeth to prevent a grimace, and faked a charming grin, "I'm fine sweetheart, I'm just pretty tired" he answered with a wink. She giggled, and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes "_Does she ever stop giggling_?" he wondered. At first, he had found the sound cute, but now it just irritated him. Sighing, the mercenary rose from his seat, grabbing his duffel coat, and headed out the door as he put it on.

Once outside, he pressed a hand to his forehead, and brushed back his dirty blonde hair from his face. He knew it had been a bad decision to go to the tavern the night before, but he had done so anyway. After checking behind him to make sure that the whore was not following him like some love-sick puppy, Lumiere made his way back to Lawrence's house.

As soon as he stepped through the door, the mercenary was embraced by a small, delicate girl. He smirked, "Well, hello to you too, Beth" he said. The girl, Beth, was twelve years old, and Lawrence's little sister.

She smiled up at him, her dark blue eyes brightening, "Hello Lumiere" she replied. Although she was well aware of the fact that he was a powerful mercenary, Beth had never been afraid of the tall man.

Then, her smile lessened to a look of anger, and her eyes reflected the same determined, dangerous look in them that Lumiere had. Brushing a lock of her short blonde hair, out of her eyes, Beth asked, practically growling, "Did you catch him yet?"

The mercenary, as he always did, raised an eyebrow in slight surprise at her change of manner. He did not need to ask who she was talking about, because Lumiere knew that it would be Gaston. Ever since her rape, Beth had become as determined as he was, to track the hunter down, and had even asked her brother to teach her combat.

Lumiere shook his head, and answered, "No Beth, your brother and I haven't found him yet."

The girl gave a short sigh, "I want to find him. Let me help" she hissed.

The mercenary started "Beth, Lawrence and I have told you this before. It's too…"

She held up a hand to stop him, "It's too dangerous. I know, but I want to find that _bastard_" she interjected.

Lumiere crossed his arms, but said nothing. Instead, he studied her appearance curiously. Her stance was one of a girl who was certainly determined to get what she wanted, and her eyes were steely and held more anger then he had seen in some adults. Her hair was cut to just above her shoulders, the typical style for a female mercenary, and she her fits were clenched as if she was restraining herself from attacking him. The girl, he knew, would certainly make an excellent mercenary, if that was what she wanted.

Beth interrupted his train of thought by saying, "Lawrence went out into the forest, if you were looking for him."

The tall man nodded, "Thanks" he answered simply, and smirked at her, before walking back out the door.

Sunlight shone through the gaps in the trees, creating a dim lighting as Lumiere walked through the forest. His eyes scanned the landscape, searching only for Lawrence, as well as keeping aware of any danger. All of a sudden, the sound of a tree branch snapping caught his attention. Lumiere cursed under his breath and drew his sword, turning quickly in the direction of the noise, ready to attack if he needed to.

Lawrence stepped from the shadows, hands raised in submission, "Easy there, don't slice my head off" he said.

His friend chuckled, "Careful, you got me mad the other day" he answered teasingly.

The other man smirked, and then it disappeared as if it had never been there. He said in all seriousness, "Something attacked me back there. A vampire with golden eyes and short hair. It got away before I could even scratch it."

Before Lumiere could respond, a familiar female voice came from not too far away, "Babette, you must not get too distracted" she scolded firmly.

The mercenary recognised the voice immediately, and whispered, "Jacqueline." He walked in the direction of her voice calmly, however he kept a solid grip on his sword, just in case she got any ideas about attacking.

Meanwhile, the vampire stood in a nearby clearing, speaking to Babette. She resisted the smug smile that twitched at the corners of her mouth, "_She is so willing to listen to me that she does not even realise that I am using her. Perfect_" she thought.

All of a sudden, the sound of two pairs of human footsteps, got her attention. She whirled around, fully prepared to attack. Upon seeing Lumiere and Lawrence emerge from the darkness, the Zemya relaxed slightly, and raised an eyebrow. Not being able to contain her surprise, she inquired with a slight growl in her tone, "Gentlemen, what are you doing here?"

Lumiere replied tersely, glaring slightly, "You're friend over there, attacked Lawrence."

"He should not have been here. Babette attacks any human she sees when she is thirsty" replied Jacqueline coolly.

At the mention of her, the mercenary glanced at the unfamiliar face. She was shorter then Jacqueline, with a graceful body, short dark hair, and chocolate brown eyes. The tips of her fangs also just barely peeked out from her top lip, and pressed against the bottom.

Their gaze locked momentarily, until Babette asked, or rather demanded, "Who are you?"

"Lumiere" he answered coldly.

Recollection seemed to flash in her eyes, "I…I knew a man by that name once" she said slowly.

Jacqueline turned to her in alarm, "_Oh no_" she thought. Although it was not the 'Lumiere' that her sister knew, the fact that she recognised the name was concerning.

The tall man replied, not even noticing the distress of her older sister, "Well, it isn't me. I've never met you before."

The Zemya seemed dejected, "Oh. Alright" she responded.

Her sister, wanting to change the topic, snarled "Are you going to leave us alone, humans? Or am I going to have to feed off you?"

The mercenaries stayed where they were, and Lawrence crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow "I'd like to see you try" he dared.

She growled "Very well…" she commanded, not taking her eyes from them "Babette, go home. You cannot be around this much blood." She did so quickly, disappearing at her vampire speed.

Lumiere inquired, although he did not really care "Another one of your servants?"

"Actually, she is my little sister" corrected Jacqueline. The Zemya lunged towards the two men, who quickly produced their swords and lowered them at her. She dodged the them, snarling and clawing as she continued to attack, her intent clear.

Lawrence gritted his teeth in pain, as a sharp blow was given to the side of his head. He stumbled backwards, holding the injured side.

Jacqueline, too distracted by the minor victory, failed to notice Lumiere's sword, until it left cuts in her arms and her right ankle. She snarled in pain and rage, collapsing to the soft ground.

As soon as she hit the ground, the Zemya assessed the damage that had been done to her body. The earlier gash from the demons had been completely reopened, there was another small slash on the inside of the other arm, and there was now an equally sized wound on her right ankle.

Lumiere looked at her from where he stood. Her injuries were not severe, but a little blood still dripped from them. He watched as Jacqueline shut her eyes tightly, trying to fight her blood lust "_She's so thirsty that she will drink her own blood_" he thought in disgust and utter amazement. The fact that a creature would deliberately kill innocent people for their blood was disgusting and wrong, but the idea that they would also drink their own blood was far worse.

The mercenary turned to Lawrence and, after swiftly looking him up and down, said "You should go home and rest that wound. Besides, Beth will be looking for you by now."

His friend nodded, answering with a small smile "Don't worry about me…" he glanced at Jacqueline and snarled, "You just take care of _that_." Then, he walked off, still holding the injured part of his head.

Once Lawrence had disappeared from sight, Lumiere turned back to the vampire. He was about to speak, but whatever words he had, drained from him as he looked into her eyes. Something was there…fear. Tue, genuine fear.

He shook his head, "_You can't have sympathy for something like her. She's evil_" he thought. But then, another part of his mind reminded him, "_You have to keep her alive. If you kill her, you won't get information of where Nicolas is_."

Jacqueline, who had been bracing herself for the feel of his sword, was slightly confused, but thankful, that she did not feel it. In a voice that was almost a whisper, she asked, making an effort to keep her voice form wavering, "Are you going to kill me?"

The mercenary replied, expression hard and showing little emotion but anger "No. I…" he sighed, "I am going to…to look after you. I will help…" he gritted his teeth, "I will help you heal." Anyone could tell that it had been hard for him to say, but he had to. He had to keep her alive.

Jacqueline rolled her eyes, "How am I supposed to get up?" she asked in annoyance.

He raised an eyebrow, "Well, I…" he swallowed hard, "I suppose I am going to have to carry you" he answered. The vampire attempted to object, but no sooner did she open her mouth, then he threw her over his shoulder like a sack, holding onto her waist and upper back.

Lumiere, ignoring her tiny fists punching into his back and her feet kicking gently at his chest, walked towards Lawrence's house. She objected to the location he was headed, but he did not respond. The mercenary was too concerned about how he was going to explain his temporary role as Jacqueline's nurse, to Lawrence.


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter was somewhat inspired by Chapter 3 of "Claiming of the Mercenary".**

** Enjoy everyone!**

…

_Chapter 8_

As they entered the spare room in Lawrence's house, Jacqueline practically screeched in annoyance, "For the last time, put me down!"

Lumiere shut the door, locked it, and roughly threw her down onto the bed, "There. Are you happy now?" he snapped. For half of the walk, she had been repeatedly commanding him to put her down, and thrashing in his grasp.

The vampire hissed in pain as her wounded ankle collided with the bed, "No, I'm not" she answered heatedly.

Her companion rolled his eyes "_Like she would be happy with anything I do_" he thought. He glanced around the room, and saw that it was large, with a double bed tucked in the top left corner, a vanity up against the left wall, a chest of draws next to it, and a door of the right wall, that led to the small bathroom.

Getting the bandages out of his pockets, Lumiere approached the bed, and sat on the egde, close to Jacqueline. He said somewhat rudely, "Give me your ankle."

She rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh, carefully placing the wounded ankle on his lap, "You could have said please" she muttered.

Having heard her, the mercenary replied, "Fine. Give me your ankle before I hurt it more…" he gave a self-satisfied smirk, "Please."

She snorted "You are testing my patience, human" she snarled.

"Really? Well, you're testing mine as well, so we're even" Lumiere sneered in reply. He proceeded to bandage her ankle, sealed it with a clip, and then placed it back on the bed, "There. Now, come here" he said, although it sounded more like a command.

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Why?" she inquired suspiciously.

He replied matter-of-factly, "So I can bandage your arms."

Reluctantly, the Zemya sat up (without using her arms, of course), and placed her arms within his reach. As he bandaged one arm with the skill of an expert, there was tense silence between them. However, Jacqueline soon asked, in a snappy tone "Why are you helping me?"

"I need information on Nicolas, and the only way I will get that, is to keep you alive" replied her companion, abruptly.

Jacqueline nodded, and once again, silence fell between them. She watched Lumiere bandage her wounds with great skill, strands of his dirty blonde hair falling in front of his eyes, and his lips pressed in a harsh line. To her astonishment, the vampire found herself remembering what it had felt like to be kissed by those lips. The kiss had been both soft and forceful all at once, and the same went for his lips. They were firm, but gentle and as soft as a pillow at the same time.

Lumiere sighed, brushing a strand of hair from his eyes, practically feeling her eyes on him. He dared a second-long glance her way, and saw the clear admiration in her eyes. He clenched his strong jaw, "_Now that creature is admiring me. She wants my blood, that's all she wants_" he thought.

However, that the look she gave had not went unappreciated. He had to admit, Jacqueline was a very beautiful woman…even for a vampire. With her tall, slender figure, dark blue eyes, and long red hair, she was incredibly attractive. She had also never begged for his help (or even remotely asked for it), and even when they first met, when he was completely naked in front of her, she had never once pleaded him to claim her.

The mercenary shook his head "No. I've got to stop thinking like that. She's evil" he reminded himself.

Jacqueline, having heard him say something, inquired "Pardon?" He did not answer, but she really could not care less. When he spoke, even when he would threaten her, she always found herself lost in his voice. It was husky and incredibly sexy, and therefore she had trouble _not_ enjoying the sound of it.

After bandaging the last of her three wounds, Lumiere cleared his throat and stood from the bed. Looking down at her, he inquired curtly "When did you last eat?"

"Three nights ago" answered Jacqueline. Her throat tightened and ached, since she had been reminded of her blood lust. Her gaze flickered to Lumiere neck and, involuntarily, she licked her lips.

The mercenary, seeing her movements, warned sternly "Unless you want me to reopen those injuries, you will not feed from me." Lumiere resisted the urge to groan as she licked her lips once more, those seductive eyes lowered to his neck. It thrilled him.

Jacqueline's throat continued to ache even more, because his pulse had pumped faster. Why that was, she did not know. All she knew was that it meant that fresh blood was pumping through him. Warm and wet. So. Delicious.

The tall man walked towards the door, breaking her from her blood lust trance, "I will…go and get you something" he said.

As soon as he was out of the room, the door shut, Lumiere clenched his fists and let out a fluttery groan. Her expression had just been too…too tempting. The idea of her lusting for his blood should not have aroused him, but by God it had. Immensely.

Just as he reached the front door, Beth's voice came from behind him "It's raining outside" she warned. Her brother was upstairs, sleeping peacefully, and she did not want to disturb him by saying that his best friend had gotten sick.

The mercenary snatched his crossbow from the small table by the door, and replied with a smirk "I know." With that, he walked out the front door, shutting it behind him.

The tall man, caught a good sized stag in minutes. As he dragged it back to the cottage, he let the rain cool his body and temperature, in preparation for dealing with the irresistibly attractive vampire woman who waited for him. It was important for him not to lose his control any further. He scolded himself for letting his guard down so much that he let her appearance appeal to him, in the first place.

Jacqueline lied down on her back, on the bed and shut her eyes tight, trying to ignore the burning in her throat. She rolled her eyes "_When is he getting back_?" she wondered.

As if on cue, the door to the room opened, and the vampire turned to him "You are back" she snapped in irritation. Wordlessly, Lumiere placed the stag next to the bed, and stepped back. She wrinkled her nose "A stag? I hate animal blood" she said.

"You'll eat what I give you" answered Lumiere, sitting down next to her and taking off his boots.

Jacqueline glared, before reluctantly getting off the bed and kneeling down in front of the stage. In milliseconds, she sunk her fangs into the animal's neck, and sucked. Lumiere refused to look away, for he had seen it before. He watched as she visibly grimaced at the taste.

Once she was done, Lumiere grabbed the dead stag by the antlers, and looked at Jacqueline "I'll take this outside. You get some sleep…or whatever you do. I'll be back in a second" he said.

Jacqueline inquired snappily "Where will you sleep?"

"I will sleep on the floor. There is no way I am possibly sharing a bed with you" answered the mercenary. Without another word, he walked out the door, dragging the stag behind him.

The Zemya sighed as she collapsed onto the bed, letting her sore body relax. She had to spend probably quite a few days and nights with a human mercenary who clearly wanted nothing to do with her, other than information. She muttered sarcastically "This is going to be wonderful."

A few minutes later, when Lumiere came back into the room, he gazed at the sleeping form of Jacqueline. She was beautiful, he would admit, and even more so when she slept. He was tempted to climb into the spot beside her, to feel her (surprisingly warm) body against his.

The mercenary shook his head "She does not care about me. All she wants is my blood" he muttered. After finding a spot in the corner of the room that was the furthest away from Jacqueline, he lied down on the spare sheets that he had put down, covered himself with a spare blanket, and sleep took him quickly.

…

**Hello. Sorry I haven't been doing my author's notes very much lately. Please remember to review everyone! Also, please wait very patiently for the next chapter, because I've been having a lot of writer's block. **

**See you all soon and remember to review, **

**- Babetteisawesome. **


	9. Chapter 9

**I got no reviews again. **

**Also, don't expect the next chapter anytime soon guys, because I have a cold *sniff*. **

**But, enjoy this chapter!**

….

_Chapter 9 _

Lumiere awoke that morning to the feeling of a pillow hitting his face. He snapped awake, and looked around in slight alarm, his body automatically tensing. However, he saw nothing that indicated danger…just Jacqueline lying on the bed, without the pillow, arms crossed and glaring at him, "You are up, merci le Deiu. I am hungry" she spat.

The mercenary raised an eyebrow, "Do I _look_ like your servant?" she snapped. The last thing he wanted was to be treated like a servant…he had had enough of that to last him for eternity.

The vampire gestured to her injuries, "Well, I cannot exactly do anything right now. So oui, human, for the moment, you are" she snarled.

He clenched his fists and cussed under his breath, "I swear to God, as soon as you healed and I get what I want, I'll kill you" he hissed.

She snorted, "Not likely. If it is all that is keeping you from killing me, I will never tell you about Nicolas" she replied.

Lumiere hesitated for a moment, and part of his brain told him, "_It's not all that's keeping her alive. You don't _want_ to kill her_." Ignoring the thought, the tall man sighed and pushed his hair back from his face "Fine. I'll go and get you something again. First,_ I_ have to eat" he responded, reluctantly.

She waved a hand dismissively, "Whatever" she replied with a sigh.

Lumiere growled, enraged, "I'm_ not_ one of your little _servants_, vampire!" Realising that his objections were in vain, the mercenary sighed, and walked out of the room.

Jacqueline huffed and brushed a strand of red hair from her eyes, "_He had better come back with my food faster than he did last night_" she thought. At the sheer idea of feeding, the Zemya felt her fangs throb and her throat ache with hunger.

When Lumiere walked into the main room, he spied Lawrence, sitting on the chair near the fireplace, sipping wine from a glass. The mercenary grinned, "Enjoy luxury while it lasts. I'm playing nurse to an arrogant vampire who treats me like her servant, so just be warned that luxury can disappear pretty fast" he said.

Lawrence turned to him, smiled smugly, and replied, "I feel bad for you. Breakfast is on the table for you, but you're going to have to get the leech's food yourself."

His friend nodded and smirked, "Thanks, and don't worry, I'll get her food" he answered.

Once he had finished eating the small breakfast that Lawrence had prepared, Lumiere grabbed his crossbow and walked out the door, "Let's get this over with" he muttered, readying the arrows.

It was not a difficult task, considering there were many stags and rabbit burrows around. The mercenary, after killing the stag on sight, went in search of the rabbits. The first was easy, considering it was fat and slow, and the other two, although they were fast and troublesome, was caught quickly.

Lumiere bound the little creatures' feet and slung them over his shoulder. He frowned to himself, "_She'll probably complain again_" he thought, knowing of his distaste of animal blood. With a sigh, he dragged the stag by the antlers, and returned to the room.

When he entered, he saw Jacqueline lying on the bed, obviously thirsty. Her skin had a slightly grey tinge to it, her fists her clenched and her eyes were shut tightly. She snapped her eyes open, and the irises were golden, "Merci le Duie" she snapped. Then, the Zemya wrinkled her nose at the sight of what was dropped in front of her, "Three rabbits and a stag? Is that really all? It will hardly be enough" she said heatedly. Absentmindedly, her eyes lowered to Lumiere's neck, and she licked her lips.

The mercenary glared at her darkly, "Don't even think about it. Either eat what I give you, or starve" he snarled.

Jacqueline rolled her eyes, and reluctantly sank to her knees. Picking up one of the rabbits, her fangs stabbed into its neck, and she greedily sucked at the blood, before discarding it and doing the same with the other. Then, she repeated her process from the night before, with the stag. She failed to hold back a small moan of pleasure as the warm blood coursed through her.

Lumiere, having heard her moan, clenched his fists and cussed under his breath, "_What sort of noises would she make if I took her_? _How loud would she moan with _my _blood coursing through her_?" he found himself wondering. Those thoughts should not have delighted him, although he knew that they did. Or at least, some part of him.

Jacqueline broke his train of thought by growling, "That was disgusting." She stood up, and lied back down on the bed. Then, the vampire sniffed, and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Her companion rolled his eyes, "For God's sake, I get it! You hated it. There's no need to be so melodramatic" he said in annoyance.

The Zemya glared at him from underneath her bangs, "It is not that, it is you. You reek of demons" she sneered.

The mercenary stood, "Fine, I'll go have a bath, if it'll get you to stop being such a little bit…"

"Don't you dare" Jacqueline hissed in warning.

Lumiere growled, but did not continue. Instead, he made his way to the bathroom wordlessly, slamming the door behind him. He ran the bath, and, as he undressed, his mind drifted to Jacqueline, "_She's so hot when she's angry_" he thought. Wait. Where had that come from? He dismissed the idea and sighed, sinking into the bath, and let his body relax.

Jacqueline, as she waited for the human to come out, glanced at the discarded bodies of the animals, "_That is hardly enough. I need human blood. I need it from Lumiere. The only problem is, how am I going to get it from him_?" she wondered.

No sooner had that thought entered her mind, than her blood lust returned. She could practically see Lumiere's blood surface from his skin, the blood staining her fangs…her fingers entangled in his dirty blonde hair…his husky voice whispering sweet nothings in her ear…his hot kisses that probably burned on her skin…wait, what? The Zemya shook her head and groaned in frustration, "_Why must he be so attractive_?" she wondered. She would admit, he was very handsome, and the vampire admired him _far_ more then she knew she should.

All of a sudden, the bathroom door opened, and Lumiere stepped out. A towel wrapped around his waist was the only thing keeping her from seeing his bared body. She had seen it, all of it, before, the first time they had met. But still, despite her efforts, the Zemya found herself wanting to see it again.

She looked away instinctively as he put on the spare clothing that Lawrence had sent them both. The vampire clenched her fists, and glanced behind her, just in time to see him wearing nothing but a pair of trousers, his back bare to her view. Jacqueline licked her lips, "_Turn around_" she thought, half hoping that he could somehow 'hear' her. She witnessed, however, as he put on a shirt and buttoned it.

Lumiere turned around, sensing a pair of eyes watching him, and smirked at Jacqueline, "Couldn't resist, could you?" he teased. She remained silent, and bit her lip. The mercenary, deciding to leave it be, sat down beside her, "I should probably change those bandages" he said.

The Zemya placed her ankle on his lap, and watched as he rolled up his sleeves and redid the bandage. She was mesmerized by his muscles, although they were not very noticeable in the slightest, as well as the light dusting on blonde hairs, on his forearms. She cooperated as he redid the rest of her bandages, and then a sudden, alarming thought occurred to her, "_Do…do I actually like him_?"

…

**Hello everyone. Like I said, I have a cold, so I obviously won't be writing for a little while. Don't worry, it's not too bad. **

**Please review everyone! I like reviews and they will make me feel better! **

**Bye for now, **

**- Babetteisawesome. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! My cold finally went away yesterday! I'm sorry I haven't updated earlier today, but I had a lot of homework to do. **

**P.S: I have my first Favourites person for this story! As in, someone he added this story to their Favourites! Thank you so much blushingpixie, you're awesome! **….

_Chapter 10 _

As she and Lumiere fell into tense silence once more, Jacqueline stole fleeting glances at him. She continued to admire his good looks, and felt a wave of heat rush through her body as she bit back a moan of both surprise and need. He was so handsome! The Zemya sniffed, smelling the blood that pumped faster through him, and shuddered slightly despite herself, "_What is wrong with me? I cannot believe I think a human is attractive!_" she thought.

Lumiere's gaze flickered to her, and their eyes locked, "What's the matter _now_?" he practically snapped, giving her a cold look. He clenched his fists, "_I swear, if she complains about the way I'm taking care of her, I'll kill her. Screw the cruse_" he thought.

However, to his complete surprise, Jacqueline replied somewhat breathlessly and shakily, "N-Nothing. I am fine." The vampire practically quivered as his hand gently touched her thigh, and she cussed under her breath, the word so quiet that she was certain he did not hear her. The cuss had been a mixture of arousal and frustration…but mostly the latter, "_Why am I behaving like this?! I just stuttered in front of a…a human!_" she thought.

He said something to her again, but she did not pay attention. All Jacqueline could concentrate on was his husky accent. She let out another involuntary shudder as thoughts of what he might say with that voice, came to mind. Such shameful things he could whisper to her, and oh, the things he could _do_ to her. Jacqueline blinked a few times and clenched her fists, "_Stop it! He probably does not even want you like that! Why do you even care?_" she scolded herself.

Lumiere gazed at the vampire before him in slight suspicion, "_What's wrong with her? Why hasn't she snapped at me yet?" _he wondered. Then, however, the mercenary noted how her eyes had darkened even further and her breathing had become slightly laboured. He raised an eyebrow, "You want me" he said, sounding almost shocked, and sly at the same time.

The vampire blinked a few times, "W-What? No!" she stammered. She was, as far as she was concerned, hastily trying to protect what little dignity she had left. Lumiere gave no reply, and Jacqueline continued quickly, wanting to change the topic, "I need to see my sister. She is at my castle all alone, and I need to see her."

Her companion shook his head, voice firm and eyes cold, "No. We're staying here until you heal. No arguments."

She crossed her arms, "No. If I must heal, then we are going to my castle. That way, I can look after my sister as well" she argued.

Lumiere ran a hand through his hair, "Didn't I just say, 'no arguments'? We'll go to the castle, if it'll get you to be quiet" he growled.

"Merci" the vampire answered curtly.

As soon as the two stepped into Jacqueline's castle, Babette moved toward them with her vampire speed. She gasped upon seeing the state of her sister, "Jackie!" she said with worry. Then, the Zemya glared at Lumiere, fangs bared, "What did you _do_ to her!?" she practically screamed.

"She got hurt, and I'm staying here to heal her" he answered coldly.

Jaqueline inquired, "Babette, did anything happen while I was away?"

Her younger sister shook her head, and snarled at Lumiere, attempting to be polite, "Would you like me to show you to your room, monsieur?"

"Sure" Lumiere answered nonchalantly.

That night, he and Jacqueline were in his room, because the vampire was feeding after just getting her bandages changed. Her companion groaned. He had just spent the last half an hour searching for a dead human body that he had a chance of stealing, so that he could give it to her. He had gotten sick of her complaining about animal blood, so, he had made the extra effort to find her a human body.

All of a sudden, Jacqueline's head snapped up, and she dropped the limp female body. Standing, she muttered, "Pardon moi" and walked out the door. Curious, the mercenary followed her, being as silent as if he was a feather.

The Zemya opened the door to Babette's room, and walked in. Lumiere listened from the side of the door.

He heard Jacqueline's voice. It was completely unlike what he was used to hearing. Instead, her voice was sweet and kind, "Is everything alright?" she asked.

Babette replied, "Oui, I just had a strange dream."

The mercenary heard her sister suck in a breath, "A…a dream?" she asked slowly.

"Oui. It was about…about a man. He was very tall and handsome. I…I think I might know him" answered the younger sibling.

Jacqueline responded hastily, "Ma petite, are you sure you are alright?" There was a short pause, where Lumiere assumed that her sister had nodded, before Jacqueline spoke once more, "Very well. Bon nuit ma petite" she said, and walked out the door.

The Zemya let out an animalistic growl upon seeing Lumiere, "You were listening" she hissed.

He looked at her, "So what?" he asked heatedly, glaring.

"I cannot believe you did that! It is unacceptable, and I will not stand for it. You have caused me enough trouble" replied the vampire.

Lumiere's expression darkened dramatically like a flick of a switch. Anger burned in his eyes, and his lips pressed in a harsh line. Not saying another word, the mercenary dragged her into the next room, throwing her inside and slamming the door shut. He did not care if he woke the smaller vampire. They were both annoying.

Oh, but the one he faced at that moment…she was the worst.

Jacqueline's face paled with fright at the sight of the enraged mercenary In front of her. She had been blinded by his good looks so much that she had forgotten how truly dangerous he was. That he could easily kill her if he wanted to.

Lumiere took one threatening step forward, and snorted, "Really,_ I've _caused _you_ enough trouble!? Are you even hearing yourself!?" he snapped.

The vampire started, "You…"

The mercenary interrupted, venom coating every word and his voice lowered an octave dangerously, "Shut. Up. Vampire. Do you know what it's been like? Hmm? Do you know what it's been like to have to play a _servant_ to a vampire! A creature that I normally can't even stand the sight of!? It's been hell, vampire. Utter hell." He took another step forward, "Do you know why I did it? I did it in the hopes of breaking my curse. A CURSE THAT AN ENCHANTRESS PUT ON ME! I'VE BEEN ALIVE FOR CENTURIES BECAUSE OF _HER_! ALL I WANT IS TO BREAK THAT SUPID CURSE! YOU CAN'T EVEN BE DECENT ENOUGH TO HELP ME WITH _THAT_!"

Jacqueline, now terrified, attempted to speak, "L-Lumiere…"

The mercenary shook his head. He was no longer yelling, but his voice was still lowered and coated with venom as he snarled, "No…" he stepped closer, "Everyone got their happy ending Jacqueline. Everyone…" he grabbed her by the neck, "But…" he thrust her against the wall, "Me." He put his face inches from hers, and smirked darkly, "Do you_ really_ know where Nicolas is, Jacqueline? I might just spare you if you do" he whispered threateningly.

Petrified, she stammered truthfully, "Oui. H-he is in t-the n-north marshes. He likes to go th-there because there are many h-humans to feed off and th-the weather is always c-cloudy." She swallowed hard, not bothering to try to stop her body from shaking with genuine fear. Would he kill her? If so, how? Wold he snap her neck? Would he strange her?

Lumiere glared at her for a few minutes, his eyes unmoving from hers, and it seemed like a century before he released his grip on her neck and stepped backwards. The mercenary answered coldly, "Thank you Jacqueline. I'll leave for the north marshes in the morning. You'll have Babette here to look after you instead of me."

Jacqueline gazed at him for a few seconds, before saying quietly, "No. Do not leave."

Lumiere shook his head, "I'm going, and you won't stop me" he answered, already heading for the door.

The vampire let him go, knowing that it would be useless trying to stop him. Then, for the first time in what felt like forever, she felt the smallest bit of what could only be described as heartbreak.

…

**Oh no, poor Jackie! **

**Don't worry guys, I'll be updating really soon…maybe even later tonight if I get the rest of my homework done. I hate homework. **

**Any constructive criticism is really appreciated, as always! **

**I'll see you soon guys, **

**-Babetteisawesome. **


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter 11_

Jacqueline sighed as she gazed out the window, deep in thought. Five weeks. It had been five weeks since she had seen Lumiere, and, although she would never admit it, the vampire missed him…a little.

All of a sudden, one of her servants burst into the room, "Mistress! Mistress! Sophie has just been seen with your sister, at Prince Adam's castle!" he announced. Jacqueline had insisted on keeping track of the young Drancina ever since she escaped capture.

The Zemya turned towards her servant, her irises shinning golden in fury, "Leave. Me. Be. I have no interest in pursuing the troublesome girl for the moment. I have…other things on my mind" she growled. Her servant nodded hastily, not wanting to anger his Mistress any further, and left the room quickly.

Jacqueline sniffed the air, and smirked menacingly. A drunk human who had gotten into a fight, was bleeding nearby. She laughed darkly to herself, "Well, I certainly must…_help_ the poor human" she muttered. With that thought in mind, the Zemya jumped out of the window.

As soon as she got to the tavern, the vampire fought to control her blood lust at the sight of the human lying drunk outside the door. She licked her lips as she watched, mesmerized, as blood trailed down from the slice on his chest. That gash, along with several others on his body, had been made by a dagger, and he had a black eye and bruises on his knuckles. Jacqueline laughed lowly, "Stupid human. No one can win a fight if they are drunk" she muttered.

She knelt beside the human, quickly glanced around to see if anyone was watching her, and sunk her fangs into his neck so fast that he did not even have time to take a breath. Closing her eyes in bliss, she sucked at the blood, until something caught her attention. The hairs on the back of her neck rose…someone was watching her.

The vampire ceased her feeding, and whirled around, standing. She sniffed, and a familiar scent alerted her senses, "_No. It is impossible. I thought he was in the north marshes_" she thought. The Zemya stepped just inside the tavern, and looked at the figure disguised in shadows, "Lumiere. Why are you here?" she snapped, even though she could not deny the slight excitement she felt.

The mercenary stepped from his hiding place, "If you really want to know, I've spent all this time looking for Nicolas. He's not there" he growled. Lumiere narrowed his eyes at her, "_I swear to God, if she lied again, I _will_ kill her…painfully_" he thought.

Jacqueline replied, sensing his hostility, "I must have been mistaken. He must be somewhere else. Nicolas always goes there eventually though."

Lumiere ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily, "Look. I need a place to stay for a bit. Lawrence has a guest over, so his spare room is taken up, and I can't stay in any tavern here, because apparently I can't spend as much time as I need to there, without bedding a girl every night" he said.

The vampire rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "Should you not be glad about that? After all, Lawrence told me that you like a bit of a…" she cleared her throat delicately, "_Intimate_ time with a woman" she countered.

The tall man chuckled slightly, somewhat amused by her dainty phrasing of the statement. He answered, "Usually, yes. But I can't be bothered with whores right now. They're too annoying."

"You…you can stay with me. But do not expect me to pander to your every need, human. I have…business to take care of" Jacqueline replied.

"Fine. You won't even notice I'm there" responded Lumiere. There was silence between them, until he inquired, "How are your injuries?"

She answered "Better, merci. They cleared up very quickly without anyone's help."

"Doesn't Babette help you?" asked the mercenary. Considering how attached the sisters had seemed, he assumed that she would take care of her.

Jacqueline clenched her fists, "Babette went away. She is still in France, but she has gone back to her Master and Mistress" she growled.

Changing the subject, the mercenary glanced at the now dead man beside him, and then looked back to the vampire, "I see you've enjoyed the idiot who attacked me" he mused.

"He attacked you?" inquired Jacqueline, unable to control the small smile that twitched at her mouth. She could only imagine how that would have looked.

Lumiere nodded, and then asked, "So, do I just head to your castle, or will your servants kill me?"

"Honestly? I_ wish_ they would kill you. But, sadly, they know you well enough by now, not to kill you" Jacqueline answered.

Once he stepped inside her castle, Lumiere was greeted with hostility by Jacqueline's Zemya servants. They glared at him, and some bared their fangs and growled. He said, slowly reaching for his dagger just in case they attacked, "I'm going to be staying here for a while. Jacqueline said it was alright."

One of the servants, a beautiful Zemya woman, stepped forward, "Would you like me to show you to your room, sir?" she growled.

Lumiere nodded, although he saw the blood lust in her eyes. He gripped his dagger tightly as he followed her, keeping on alert in case she decided to try to kill him.

They arrived at his room without any trouble, and, before the Zemya woman went away, Lumiere inquired, "Why did the other woman, Babette, go back to her Master and Mistress?"

She replied curtly, "The Mistress's sister was cured. Her Zemya state was broken by the man she loves, and so she returned to her normal self."

Lumiere nodded, and went into his room without another word. He definitely had to think about that. What had the Zemya woman meant by _cured_? Was…was it possible that Jacqueline was just under some kind of spell?

The mercenary remembered that she had told him about the two races of vampires…the Maya and the Zemya, and what each race's virtues were. The Maya were peaceful and good-hearted, while the Zemya….

The Zemya were evil.

The truth became clear at that moment. Jacqueline had turned Babette into a Zemya, and then she had been turned back by the man she loved.

Jacqueline was pure evil. Worst of all….

He had fallen in love with her.


	12. Chapter 12

**A special shout-out to Winterstarfire, the creator of this badass awesome Lumiere, for finally updating "Claiming of the Mercenary"! I love you for it! Please don't let Alexandria die. I will be very very sad if that happens. **

**P.S: Please review this story, it would be great to hear what you think! **

**P.P.S: It's soo cute that Lumiere calls Alexandria "Allie". Awwwww. **

**Sorry this chapter is shorter then my others, but I have writer's block again. **

**Anyway, on with the story.**

…

_Chapter 12_

Lumiere paced the confines of his small room, scolding himself. How could he have let his guard down so easily?! In fact, why did he let it down at all!? His mind argued back, "_Because you know that there's at least some good in her, and you want to help her_." He snapped, trying to convince himself otherwise, "No. I. Don't."

All of a sudden, the bedroom door opened, and Jacqueline stepped inside. Quickly wiping her mouth of blood, she said nonchalantly, "I see you made yourself comfortable."

Lumiere looked at her, his eyes cold and strong jaw clenched, "Been out terrorizing innocent humans?" he bit out.

She whirled around to him, "What!?" she snapped, silently daring him to repeat it.

The mercenary, although he recognised the danger, answered, in a growling undertone that hid his rage, "Let me put it another way. Have you been out ruining lives? Tricking people into helping you? That's what you did to me."

The vampire bared her fangs, "How dare you!" she hissed.

Her companion started, "Shut up bit…."

"Lumiere" interrupted Jacqueline, in a warning tone.

He stalked towards her, fists clenched and expression murderous, "I was right. You're nothing but a creature of darkness. You, especially Jacqueline, belong with the spawn of demons. I should have done this a long time ago" he spat.

With amazing speed and strength, he pinned her against a wall and snatched his dagger from the side table. Holding it against her throat, he said in a low growl, "You know what? I'll just kill you right here. I'll find another way to get to Nicolas."

Thanking fast, Jacqueline replied, unable to keep her voice or body from shaking with fear, "I-I'll can h-help you with N-Nicolas. He has a s-sister, Alexandria. If you could s-somehow c-court her, N-Nicolas might b-break you c-curse."

Lumiere wrinkled his nose in disgust, "I'd never do that. I'm not going to be a vampire's mate" he replied.

The Zemya responded, "It is o-out of our c-control. Our m-mates are chosen for u-us. By fate."

The mercenary shook his head, "Forget it, you're not getting out of this so easily" he said. However, some part of his mind wondered, "_Am I Jacqueline's chosen mate_? _Is that why she's been acting so strangely then any other vampire I've known_?"

Jacqueline's objection interrupted his train of thought, "I am not trying to trick you, monsieur. Although I cannot understand why you would want to give up immortal life, I can understand what it is like to live as something you do not want to be."

Lumiere's gaze softened momentarily, before it hardened again, "Wait. How do you know I'm immortal?" he questioned in suspicion.

The vampire raised an eyebrow, "You told me that you were centuries old, remember? It does not take a genius to conclude that you are no ordinary human" she replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Lumiere nodded, and, although he did not know why, released the grip around her neck. He stepped back, watching with little emotion as she gave him a grateful, but angered, look. The mercenary took another step back, "Try anything, and I'll pin you right back up against that wall" he warned.

Jacqueline nodded, and, almost timidly, walked out of the room.

That night, Lumiere was in his room, when he saw Jacqueline emerge from hers. Curious, he watched as she walked down the stairs. The mercenary opened his door, and inquired, "Where are you going?"

She turned to him, "I am going out, human. That is all you need to know." Then, without another word, she walked down the stairs.


	13. Chapter 13

**Final chapter everyone****!**

**Thank you Winterstarfire, for updating "Claiming of the Mercenary" so soon! I'm so glad that Lumiere and Alexandria are mates now. **

**P.S: This chapter has a few dirty thoughts by Lumiere. Nothing M rated though. I should have made this M rated. I could have done a lot more with it. I've never written anything M rated though. I've tried…and it sucked. **

**Please enjoy! **

…

_Chapter 13_

Lumiere was abruptly awoken from his sleep, by a dainty hand roughly gripping his shoulder. As soon as his body tensed, he was rolled onto his back and pinned down to the bed. Two feminine hands gripped his arms, leaving small marks. He stared into the darkness, fully alert, and saw a shadow looming above him from beside the bed. From what he could tell, it was the same figure that held him down.

A familiar female snarled venomously, "I am in no mood for your behaviour, human. I need your blood."

The mercenary narrowed his eyes, "Explain" he growled. It was clearly Jacqueline. He could tell by the tone of her voice, her quick demands, and her build.

"I am weak after I got into a…fight. I need blood, and the humans will notice if I steal one from a house. I am not going to feed of my servants, so you are my last choice" she answered matter-of-factly.

Lumiere shoved her arms away, and sat up, "Not happening vampire" he sneered.

Jacqueline let out an animalistic growl. "I will take it from you by force then" she replied. She lunged at him, fangs bared.

The mercenary gripped her roughly by the neck and waist, and pinned her to the bed. He slapped her hard on her cheek, "Not. Happening. Jacqueline" he hissed. She growled, but said nothing.

Lumiere, taking a risk, released his hand from around her waist, and used it to light the nearby three-holder golden candelabra. He gazed at Jacqueline, and resisted a gasp. Her skin had paled further, and her dark blue eyes were golden. His gaze dropped to her reddish lips, which had become a slightly paler red.

Jacqueline smirked, "_He is aroused. I can use that_" she thoughts. She licked her lips, and lowered her voice to a husky, seductive tone. "Lumiere. It…it is not just your blood that I need."

The mercenary gritted his teeth "_She's tricking you. Don't fall for it_" his mind warned. However, the more irrational part of his brain fought back with, "_She wants you. Stop fighting her. It's been too long_."

Lumiere grinned devilishly, "Really now?" he purred, eyes dark with lust. He could only imagine what he would do with those graceful curves and those soft, full lips. What sorts of noises would she make when he took her? Would she snarl as she reached her climax? Hell, he wanted to know.

No, he _needed_ to know.

Jacqueline grinned, "_Perfect_" she thought. As soon as he let go of her neck, she sat up, bringing her mouth to his neck…

Then she was quickly slammed back down to the bed. Lumiere was clearly furious. He snarled, angry fire burning in his dark eyes. "Nice try vampire."

Jacqueline, slightly taken off guard, asked, "Wh-What?"

The mercenary snorted. "Don't look so confused. You tricked me, and you know it" he answered in the same tone. He stood from the bed, "Get out. Feed on a poisonous snake for all I care" he hissed.

The next day, Lumiere was confused to find the castle empty, apart from Jacqueline. She sat in the dining room, not doing anything in particular.

He walked up to her, closing the door. "I thought you didn't eat" he said.

She replied heatedly, not looking at him, "This castle was left over by a prince and his family. I have kept everything that they had."

Lumiere sat down beside her, and silence fell between them. He did not wish to speak to her. The mercenary was still furious at himself for falling for her trick…he had nearly let her bite him!

Jacqueline, surprising, was the first to start any conversation. "I did end up feeding last night, if you care" she said.

Expecting her answer to be an innocent human, Lumiere asked, "What did you feed on?"

"One of my servants. He was disgusting" she answered nonchalantly.

For the next few days, Lumiere did very little. He did not speak to Jacqueline, because for most of the time, she was either out hunting, in her room, or on her mysterious 'visits' to her sister. He had overheard that it was actually surveillance on her sister, to find out anything about someone named 'Sophie'.

One evening, he decided to follow Jacqueline to 'visit' her sister. The mercenary kept to the shadows and remained so quiet that she did not even notice she was being followed. When they reached a magnificent castle, Lumiere stopped and hid in the nearby forest as Jacqueline walked calmly through the gates.

He waited for about two hours, until a familiar male voice came from behind him. "Stalking the leech?" he asked.

The tall man turned around and smirked, "Lawrence. What are you doing here?" he asked.

The other mercenary ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Beth insisted I come and see you. She wants to know if you're alright. She wanted me to ask if Jacqueline has drunk from you yet" he answered.

Lumiere stiffened, remembering the night before. She had _almost_ drunk from him. He replied to Lawrence, "Well, you can tell Beth I'm alright….and no, Jacqueline hasn't drunk from me."

Lawrence nodded. "Well, I should probably be getting back to her. She hates it when I go out alone at night, especially here. There are a lot of demons out" he responded, before vanishing back into the forest.

No sooner had he disappeared from sight, than Jacqueline emerged from the castle. She opened up the gates, and walked towards Lumiere.

He stiffened, "_She knows I'm here_" he thought. As she drew closer, he braced himself for an attack. However, none came. Instead, she looked at him, and did something that caught him completely off guard.

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him, sobbing into his chest.

Lumiere asked, "Okay, what's wrong with you?"

Jacqueline pulled back, and he could have sworn that his heart stopped from shock. Not only were her cheeks stained with tears, but her dark blue eyes were kinder, and her expression had softened dramatically. She smiled, "I guess I have some explaining to do" she said.

He nodded. "Yeah. For example…why are you being nice to me now?"

She giggled, "That is one of the things I have to explain" she answered.

Jacqueline wiped a few remaining tears from her eyes. "I am so sorry for being so cruel, Lumiere. The truth is…je'taime" she said softly.

The mercenary, although he was not an expert on French, knew very well what that meant. "You…you love me?" he questioned in disbelief. The Zemya, as far as he knew, were not capable of love.

But then he remembered something one of her Zemya servants had told him. Jacqueline was transformed into a Zemya. Therefore, she could be changed back.

She had been…and she was good.

Lumiere swallowed hard, remembering that she also said she loved him. Did he love her back? The mercenary had felt affection to very few people, and he had romantically loved not one of them. However, something, some small part of his mind told him that it was different with her.

She was everything.

He took a deep breath, knowing what he would do. "_Actions speak louder than words_" he thought. With that in mind, he did something he had only done once before.

The mercenary swooped her up, and pressed a fervent, passionate kiss to her soft lips.

…

**Well, there it is. I know that the ending kind of sucked, but I really couldn't think of anything else. Reviews are appreciated, as always. **

**This is not my best work at all. But, I'm still glad that it turned out alright. **

**See you all soon,**

**- Babetteisawesome. **


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